November 2009: Leadership and Success Leave Clues

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Meeting Photos

This blog is for you and it’s my way of sharing my experiences with you as I am visiting chapters across the country. Your fellow members and leaders are accomplishing great things this year and I’m honored to be serving as your National President so I can see first-hand what’s happening that helps make membership in Women’s Council so empowering.

It’s hard to believe the year is almost over for me as your National President. October was another exciting month for travel, with out-of-town trips for almost two solid weeks. I totally enjoyed getting to interact with members from different parts of the country.

My first visit took me back to Missouri, but to the other side of the state where I had the opportunity to speak to the Kansas City Chapter. It was great getting to visit again with WCR State Governor Randi Bishop, who also visited while I was there. The leadership team, led by Local Chapter President Jerri Moulder, and some of the members treated me to authentic Kansas City pulled-pork barbeque, which I found to be delicious but very different from what I am accustomed to at home.

We had the pleasure of being able to visit over dinner at the home belonging to one of the past presidents of the chapter, and it was a delightful setting on a private lake. Thanks so much for your hospitality and for the camaraderie that we all shared that evening on the patio overlooking the lake. The air was a little nippy there at this time of year, but it was so refreshing for me to experience that briskness in the air after leaving 90+ degree weather in Houston.

From Kansas City I journeyed to the hill country for the Texas State Orientation held in New Braunfels. Incoming State Chapter President Deborah Spangler and her 2010 Leadership Team did a fabulous job of putting the meeting together, and I’m sure they will have great success next year in leading the Texas Chapter to new membership heights. There was something for everyone who attended, including specific training for each type of incoming officer position, as well as education sessions to add value to each member’s experience. Everyone especially liked the technology session led by incoming Governor Cindie Stewart. She shared information about what she has done to become so successful using the Internet in her business, and she taught us a lot about some specific applications using Facebook, blogs and Twitter.

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of every state chapter holding an annual event like this. It really reinforces the training the incoming LCPs have had at the national Leadership Academy and sets the stage for a creative and successful chapter in the upcoming year. Having all of the leadership team on the same page is so important to the success of the chapter because the membership feels and sees the unity there and appreciates everyone’s efforts in working toward the same goals.

Finally, I traveled to Austin for the Orientation for 2010 incoming leadership for all the associations and boards across the state, as well as the training for incoming RPAC Trustees. It has been my honor to serve as a state trustee for more than 4 years, and I realize the importance of our involvement in the political process much more after having served in that capacity.

I encourage all REALTORS® to give a “fair share” to RPAC each year and to sign up for NAR’s Call to Action, so you can personally communicate with legislators on important issues. The recent call to action on the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers generated a 15-percent response, according to NAR, and I know we can do better. And I would love to see Women's Council members leading the way. Collectively we can make a huge difference, so encourage your broker to get involved through the Broker Involvement Program.

Following the meetings I had the pleasure of traveling to San Antonio to teach the PMN course on Effective Negotiating. More than 30 members attended. We had a great learning experience, and they each earned seven hours of MCE credit thanks to Champions School of Real Estate, who've gotten a number of our PMN classes certified in Texas for CE credit.

Don’t forget to register for the National Conference being held this month in San Diego. There will be a wine and cheese hour following our regular Meet & Greet, compliments of Property I.D. and hosted by the two San Diego area Women's Council Chapters. Our thanks to Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Pulte Homes ~ Gulf Coast Region for their generosity as our Strategic Partners at the Midyear Meeting. Wells Fargo will also be joining us in San Diego and has a special treat for the members there. We appreciate all of these companies for their support this year and encourage you to remember them when you have referral business.

Becky Hill, ABR, PMN, SRES
National President
Women’s Council of REALTORS®
Broker Associate
Keller Williams Realty, Houston, TX
Becky@BeckyHill.com